Toni Polster
# Toni Polster

Anton "Toni" Polster (born 10 March 1964) is an Austrian professional football coach and former player. He is the all-time leading goalscorer for the Austria national team with 44 goals.

Polster's top flight coaching debut at Admira Wacker lasted just three league games before he was sacked on 10 August 2013.

## Club career

Polster came through the Austria Wien youth system to make his professional league debut in August 1982, at 18 years of age. He scored his first Bundesliga goal three weeks later and went on to win three league titles and a domestic cup before moving abroad to play a season in Serie A with Torino. He then spent the five following years at Spanish teams Sevilla, Logroñés and Rayo Vallecano, ending up with these teams in mid-table as well except for one year, 1989–90, in which Sevilla FC ended in sixth place and played UEFA Cup the following year. In 1990, he finished runner-up in the Spanish goalscoring chart. In 1993, he moved to Germany to spend five years at Köln, again ending up in mid-table every season except for the last one in which he experienced relegation. That made him join Borussia Mönchengladbach next year but they got also relegated at the end of the season and Polster returned to Austria to play a final season at Austria Salzburg.

He was known to fans as "Toni Doppelpack" – "Toni Brace", because of his reputation for scoring two goals in many matches.

Polster was chosen in Austria's Team of the Century in 2001 and as Austrian Sportsman of the Year 1997.

## International career

In 1983, Polster was selected for the Austria U20's to play at the 1983 FIFA World Youth Championship.

He had already made his senior debut for Austria in November 1982 against Turkey, immediately scoring his first goal, and was a participant at the 1990 World Cup and 1998 World Cup. He earned 95 caps, scoring a record 44 goals. He overtook the previous goalscoring record, set by Hans Krankl, in November 1996, scoring his 35th goal against Latvia.

His final (and record-breaking 94th) international was thought to be a 1998 FIFA World Cup match against Italy in June, but he was given an official farewell match in September 2000 against Iran, in which he was substituted in the 21st minute by Christian Mayrleb. His appearances record was surpassed by Andreas Herzog in May 2002.

## Coaching career

Polster began his coaching career in January 2010 as the reserve-team coach at LASK Linz. In June 2011, he became the head coach of SC Wiener Viktoria in the Austrian 2. Landesliga, the fifth-tier in Austrian football. During his first season at Wiener Viktoria, the team promoted to the fourth-tier and consequently a year after to the third division, the so-called Austrian Regional League. On 17 June 2013, he accepted his first coaching role in the Austrian Bundesliga, taking over as the head coach of the top-flight side Admira Wacker Mödling. After starting the season with three straight defeats, including a 7–1 defeat to newly promoted Scholz Grödig, Polster was fired by Admira on 9 August 2013. Polster returned to SC Wiener Viktoria on 13 January 2014.

## Career statistics

### Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :

| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Europe | Europe | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Austria Wien | 1982–83 | Austrian Bundesliga | 26 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 5 | — | — | 35 | 18 |
| Austria Wien | 1983–84 | Austrian Bundesliga | 23 | 13 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 1 | — | — | 39 | 24 |
| Austria Wien | 1984–85 | Austrian Bundesliga | 29 | 24 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 3 | — | — | 41 | 36 |
| Austria Wien | 1985–86 | Austrian Bundesliga | 34 | 32 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | — | — | 42 | 40 |
| Austria Wien | 1986–87 | Austrian Bundesliga | 34 | 39 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 43 | 47 |
| Austria Wien | Total | Total | 146 | 119 | 23 | 29 | 30 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 200 | 165 |
| Torino | 1987–88 | Serie A | 27 | 9 | 12 | 5 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 40 | 14 |
| Sevilla | 1988–89 | La Liga | 32 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 32 | 9 |
| Sevilla | 1989–90 | La Liga | 35 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 35 | 33 |
| Sevilla | 1990–91 | La Liga | 35 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 43 | 15 |
| Sevilla | Total | Total | 102 | 55 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 110 | 57 |
| Logroñés | 1991–92 | La Liga | 38 | 14 | 7 | 7 | — | — | — | — | 45 | 21 |
| Rayo Vallecano | 1992–93 | La Liga | 31 | 14 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 31 | 14 |
| 1. FC Köln | 1993–94 | Bundesliga | 25 | 17 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 26 | 19 |
| 1. FC Köln | 1994–95 | Bundesliga | 32 | 17 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 37 | 19 |
| 1. FC Köln | 1995–96 | Bundesliga | 28 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | — | — | 33 | 14 |
| 1. FC Köln | 1996–97 | Bundesliga | 32 | 21 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 33 | 21 |
| 1. FC Köln | 1997–98 | Bundesliga | 33 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | — | — | 39 | 15 |
| 1. FC Köln | Total | Total | 150 | 79 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 5 | — | — | 168 | 88 |
| Borussia Mönchengladbach | 1998–99 | Bundesliga | 31 | 11 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 35 | 14 |
| Borussia Mönchengladbach | 1999–2000 | 2. Bundesliga | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 4 |
| Borussia Mönchengladbach | Total | Total | 38 | 15 | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 43 | 18 |
| Austria Salzburg | 1999–2000 | Austrian Bundesliga | 12 | 2 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 16 | 5 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 544 | 307 | 64 | 52 | 43 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 653 | 382 |

* ↑ Includes Austrian Cup, Coppa Italia, Copa del Rey and DFB-Pokal
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
* 1 2 Appearances in UEFA Cup
* 1 2 3 Appearances in European Cup
* ↑ Appearance in Austrian Supercup
* ↑ Appearance in UEFA Cup play-off
* 1 2 Appearances in UEFA Intertoto Cup

### International

Appearances and goals by national team and year :

| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| - | - | - | - |
| Austria | 1982 | 1 | 1 |
| Austria | 1984 | 3 | 0 |
| Austria | 1985 | 4 | 1 |
| Austria | 1986 | 6 | 5 |
| Austria | 1987 | 6 | 2 |
| Austria | 1988 | 6 | 1 |
| Austria | 1989 | 6 | 4 |
| Austria | 1990 | 10 | 1 |
| Austria | 1991 | 2 | 0 |
| Austria | 1992 | 8 | 5 |
| Austria | 1993 | 7 | 1 |
| Austria | 1994 | 7 | 5 |
| Austria | 1995 | 7 | 7 |
| Austria | 1996 | 6 | 2 |
| Austria | 1997 | 8 | 6 |
| Austria | 1998 | 7 | 3 |
| Austria | 2000 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 95 | 44 |

    Scores and results list Austria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Polster goal.

List of international goals scored by Toni Polster :

| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 17 November 1982 | Gerhard Hanappi Stadium, Vienna, Austria | Turkey | 1–0 | 4–0 | UEFA Euro 1984 qualifying |
| 2 | 7 May 1985 | Liebenau Stadium, Graz, Austria | Cyprus | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 26 March 1986 | Stadio Friuli, Udine, Italy | Italy | 1–0 | 1–2 | Friendly |
| 4 | 27 August 1986 | Tivoli, Innsbruck, Austria | Switzerland | 1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 5 | 15 October 1986 | Liebenau Stadium, Graz, Austria | Albania | 2–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Euro 1988 qualifying |
| 6 | 29 October 1986 | Praterstadion, Vienna, Austria | West Germany | 1–0 | 4–1 | Friendly |
| 7 | 29 October 1986 | Praterstadion, Vienna, Austria | West Germany | 2–1 | 4–1 | Friendly |
| 8 | 1 April 1987 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria | Spain | 2–2 | 2–3 | Euro 1988 qualifying |
| 9 | 29 April 1987 | Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania | Albania | 1–0 | 1–0 | Euro 1988 qualifying |
| 10 | 2 November 1988 | Praterstadion, Vienna, Austria | Turkey | 1–0 | 3–2 | 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 11 | 20 May 1989 | Zentralstadion, Leipzig, Germany | East Germany | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 12 | 15 November 1989 | Praterstadion, Vienna, Austria | East Germany | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 13 | 15 November 1989 | Praterstadion, Vienna, Austria | East Germany | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 14 | 15 November 1989 | Praterstadion, Vienna, Austria | East Germany | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 15 | 28 March 1990 | Estadio La Rosaleda, Málaga, Spain | Spain | 2–2 | 3–2 | Friendly |
| 16 | 25 March 1992 | Népstadion, Budapest, Hungary | Hungary | 1–0 | 1–2 | Friendly |
| 17 | 14 April 1992 | Praterstadion, Vienna, Austria | Lithuania | 3–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 18 | 27 May 1992 | De Baandert, Sittard-Geleen, Netherlands | Netherlands | 1–2 | 2–3 | Friendly |
| 19 | 2 September 1992 | Linzer Stadion, Linz, Austria | Portugal | 1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 20 | 28 October 1992 | Praterstadion, Vienna, Austria | Israel | 3–0 | 5–2 | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 21 | 14 April 1993 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria | Bulgaria | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 22 | 2 June 1994 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria | Germany | 1–4 | 1–5 | Friendly |
| 23 | 7 September 1994 | Sportpark, Eschen, Liechtenstein | Liechtenstein | 1–0 | 4–0 | UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying |
| 24 | 7 September 1994 | Sportpark, Eschen, Liechtenstein | Liechtenstein | 3–0 | 4–0 | UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying |
| 25 | 7 September 1994 | Sportpark, Eschen, Liechtenstein | Liechtenstein | 4–0 | 4–0 | UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying |
| 26 | 12 October 1994 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria | Northern Ireland | 1–1 | 1–2 | UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying |
| 27 | 29 March 1995 | Stadion Lehen, Salzburg, Austria | Latvia | 4–0 | 5–0 | UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying |
| 28 | 29 March 1995 | Stadion Lehen, Salzburg, Austria | Latvia | 5–0 | 5–0 | UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying |
| 29 | 26 April 1995 | Stadion Lehen, Salzburg, Austria | Liechtenstein | 2–0 | 7–0 | UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying |
| 30 | 26 April 1995 | Stadion Lehen, Salzburg, Austria | Liechtenstein | 4–0 | 7–0 | UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying |
| 31 | 11 June 1995 | Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland | Republic of Ireland | 1–1 | 3–1 | UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying |
| 32 | 11 June 1995 | Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland | Republic of Ireland | 3–1 | 3–1 | UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying |
| 33 | 16 August 1995 | Daugava Stadium, Riga, Latvia | Latvia | 1–2 | 2–3 | UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying |
| 34 | 24 April 1996 | Népstadion, Budapest | Hungary | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 35 | 9 November 1996 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria | Latvia | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 36 | 8 June 1997 | Daugava Stadium, Riga, Latvia | Latvia | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 37 | 20 August 1997 | Kadrioru Stadium, Tallinn, Estonia | Estonia | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 38 | 20 August 1997 | Kadrioru Stadium, Tallinn, Estonia | Estonia | 2–0 | 3–0 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 39 | 20 August 1997 | Kadrioru Stadium, Tallinn, Estonia | Estonia | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 40 | 11 October 1997 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria | Belarus | 1–0 | 4–0 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 41 | 11 October 1997 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria | Belarus | 3–0 | 4–0 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 42 | 2 June 1998 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria | Liechtenstein | 1–0 | 6–0 | Friendly |
| 43 | 2 June 1998 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria | Liechtenstein | 6–0 | 6–0 | Friendly |
| 44 | 11 June 1998 | Stadium Municipal, Toulouse, France | Cameroon | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1998 FIFA World Cup |

### Managerial

    As of 15 May 2014

Managerial record by club and tenure :

| Team | From | To | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Team | From | To | G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | Ref. |
| LASK Linz (A) | 4 January 2010 | 29 November 2010 | 16 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 29 | 26 | +3 | 050.00 | |
| SC Wiener Viktoria | 1 July 2011 | 17 June 2013 | 33 | 22 | 6 | 5 | 88 | 32 | +56 | 066.67 | |
| Admira Wacker Mödling | 17 June 2013 | 9 August 2013 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 11 | −7 | 025.00 | |
| SC Wiener Viktoria | 13 January 2014 | Present | 51 | 19 | 6 | 26 | 16 | 34 | −18 | 037.25 | |
| Total | Total | Total | 104 | 50 | 13 | 41 | 137 | 103 | +34 | 048.08 |

* 1.^ Only 2010–11 season matches are included. Matches before 4 January 2010 – 6 August 2010 not included.
* 2.^ Only 2012–13 season matches are included. Matches from the 2011–12 season not included.

## Honours

### Club

Austria Wien

* Austrian Football Bundesliga: 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86
* Austrian Cup: 1985–86

### Individual

* Austrian Football Bundesliga Top scorer: 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87
* Austrian Footballer of the Year: 1985–86, 1996–97
* European Golden Shoe: 1986–87
